Never knowingly undersolved
As far as I can tell, we haven’t seen Alchemi on a Sunday since July 2014. In any case, welcome back Alchemi! This started off quite slowly for me. It didn’t help that … Read more >>
I felt there were more ‘entry’ clues than usual in this one and I might have completed it in record time had I not been interrupted by a phone call. Plenty to enjoy … Read more >>
When I first solved The Listener crossword I was pleased with myself, then went to a website that discussed it and everyone said how easy this particular puzzle was. This was rather dispiriting … Read more >>
Thank you Paul, always a pleasure to solve and blog.
A new (to me, at least) setter this week – were you driven ’round the bend’ by Bend?… I have to admit I am a prize-puzzle-tart, and don’t solve during the week, but … Read more >>
This EV uses alphabetically listed clued that have to be slotted in to the grid. That normally means quite a bit of cold solving. The danger is that one can feel one isn’t getting anywhere. That said, I do have a soft spot for Samuel’s EVs, so I have confidence that this will be enjoyable.
As Smeagol would have said, this one from Wanderer was tricksy !! 🙂 Thanks Wanderer for a wonderful humbling experience. The frustration when it came to parsing some of the clues was only surpassed by the delight I felt when I finally did. Especially 1ac.
It wouldn’t be a proper Friday for Independent crossword solvers if there wasn’t a puzzle by Phi This was a fairly standard crossword from Phi. I didn’t see any obvious … Read more >>
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26781.
Klingsor seems to be lumbered with me rather often nowadays. Not that this worries me. I’d be happy to blog his puzzles every time (apart from the odd holiday with some of the other setters) because he’s one of the best around. There is always the right level of difficulty for me: not too easy, but the surfaces are nice and everything is clear and sound; one can eventually solve his most intractable clues. I think.
Definitions underlined.
I said yesterday that I was rather disappointed not to get Crucible’s puzzle to blog. And now here’s a cracker from another of my top favourite setters, on top form, sparkling with his … Read more >>
Fairly straightforward, except for…
Monday Prize Crossword / Jan 4, 2016
I know, Dante is not the hardest of setters but this was perhaps my fastest solve ever.
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 2, 2016
Easy and difficult by turns, but enjoyable all the way through. Thank you Chalmie.